Cousin Bruce
by Always After All This Time
Summary: This is a story about Valery, who goes to stay with her second cousin, Bruce Wayne. But things are not what they appear at Wayne Manor!
1. Chapter 1

"Darling, we've found a place for you to stay!" I looked up from my book at mom, who seemed thrilled. "My cousin, Bruce, has agreed to let you stay with him while we're away. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah mom. Fantastic!" I said, putting as much sarcasm as possible into my words. Mom and Dad were going on a trip to Switzerland for two months. Two months! And of course, I, their delinquent daughter wasn't going with them. Mother had been frantic trying to find some distant relative who would take me in, as my Granny had had to cancel on us. Something about not having enough room. Except that she lived in a huge old farmhouse. I knew the truth. No one wanted to take in a girl with blue hair, who wore big boots, and trained in martial arts. They were all scared of me. I can control myself! It's not like I punch holes in walls or anything! Well, okay, but that was one time!

"He's got a very nice house, Bruce does." Wait just a moment….Bruce….Cousin Bruce….Oh! Duh. Of course he had a nice house. My mom's cousin was Bruce Wayne, the millionaire. Well at least I'd be living in style. "Darling, have you packed?"

"Yeah mom. I've got everything. Everything that you're letting me take."

"Can you blame me for not letting you take your chemistry kit? Last time you blew a crater in the backyard with that thing! And you won't need your pellet gun. Do you have books? Movies?" She expected me to turn into a couch potato?

"Yeah mom. Let's go." I trudged upstairs, and picked up my two stuffed suitcases. I could've easily curled up in one. Dad had already loaded my duffel bag. Looking around, I quietly slid a small backpack into a zipper compartment on one of the suitcases, and then dragged them downstairs before mom could begin to suspect anything. Dad was waiting to load these into the Suburban. I climbed in the back, and stretched out my legs, preparing for a long drive out to Cousin Bruce's house.

Wow. Oh wow. This house….mansion, I should say, was amazing! I get to live here, for two months? Without my parents? YES! Score! I climbed out of the car, and stretched my legs a bit.

"I'll go knock, and you two start getting the luggage out." Mom hobbled to the door, swaying in her four inch heels. I walked to the trunk and opened it, slinging my duffel around my shoulder, and pulling out one of the suitcases. I clicked the handle out, and waited for Dad to get the other one. When I turned around, Mom was hurrying down the driveway with a tall, elderly man.

"This is my husband, Bob, and my daughter, Valery. This is Alfred, Bruce's butler."

"A pleasure." The man shook my father's hand, and then mine, which impressed me. Most people forget that I'm 14, and able to shake hands. I nodded to him. He seemed very dignified. "I'll take that bag, sir." Alfred relieved my dad of the suitcase, and began to walk to the house.

"Well. Bye. Have fun in Switzerland." My mom grabbed me in a hug, but I broke away as fast as I could. Dad tucked something into my jacket pocket.

"Good luck, kiddo." I nodded to him, then turned and walked into the lovely house, burdened by my many bags. I turned, waved, and nudged the door with my heel, shutting it, and beginning one of the best times of my life.


	2. Chapter 2

"And this is your room." Alfred opened a door, and as I stepped inside, I felt my jaw drop. This room was huge! A large bed with gray blankets dominated one corner, a desk and chair in another. A door on either side of the room, one leading to a bathroom, the other a walk in closet. A long table took up some space in the middle, but there was still a lot of hard wood floor empty. The walls were painted a light blue, and a small couch of shocking orange was nestled in a corner, near a small T.V. set. "I hope this room is to your liking?"

"It's amazing!" I said, forgetting to act like a mopey teenager. Oh well.

"I will leave you to unpack. Shall I send lunch up?"

"Um sure. Thanks." I mumbled, setting my duffel on the table. Alfred nodded, and shut the door behind him. I began to unpack my things. The closet had enough space for the wardrobes of three people, so my clothes took up very little space. I pulled my laptop computer from my duffel bag, and set it on the desk. My stuffed monsters went on the bed, and my backpack of destruction went under it. My toiletries I deposited in the bathroom and the empty suitcases were stuffed in the closet. I discovered that dad had placed a rolled up wad of bills in my pocket. I stuffed them in one of the bags and decided not to use them. Right as I finished, Alfred brought me a lunch tray. "Thank you very much." I said, taking it from him, and placing it on the table.

"Please feel free to explore, but stay off the fourth floor." He nodded gravely, and closed the door behind him. I shook my head, and went to examine my lunch. A delicious looking BLT sandwich, and apple, a brownie, and a canned drink. I stuck the apple in my pocket, for fortification while exploring, and devoured the rest of my lunch. Marvelously prepared. I decided to take the tray with me, and a small pad and pen for map-making. Then I was off.

The kitchen was fairly easy to find. I placed my tray near the sink, and proceeded to get hopelessly lost in the maze of rooms. One drawing room in particular caught my eye. It had a piano, near a bookshelf. I resolved to come back, and made a little mark on my map. Crunching on my apple, I discovered a gymnasium in the side of the house. But not a school gymnasium with basketball hoops and bleachers. No this place had martial arts dummies, punching bags, even trapezes hanging from the ceilings! I decided to finish exploring for the day, and ran up to my room to put on athletic clothing. I was delighted, knowing that I would be able to practice fighting after all.

I had just finished my practice routine when I heard shoes clicking down the corridor. I froze, and then grabbed my water bottle and ran to the other side of the gym, where some doors opened to a different hallway. I spared no time running through them. I kept running until I reached a fork in the hall. Taking a right deposited me in the entry hall.

"Convenient." I muttered, running upstairs to my room, where I plopped down on the couch just before Alfred knocked.

"Miss Valery, it's almost time for dinner." Wow. Guess I'd trained longer than I thought. Figuring that I shouldn't show up for dinner in athletic shorts, I pulled on jeans and a hoodie. Not much better, but it was something. I brushed my hair out of its ponytail and checked myself in the bathroom mirror. Big green eyes? Check. Pale skin? Check. Hair still bright blue? You bet.

"This is as good as it's gunna get." I muttered, before rushing down stairs to the dining room. And there I would meet Cousin Bruce.


	3. Chapter 3

I poked my head around the door, cautious. The dining room was empty. Maybe the kitchen? This time I struck home. A tall dark-haired man was sitting at the kitchen table, deep in conversation with Alfred. A boy maybe my age sat across from the man, his back turned to me.

"Ah you must be Valery." The man stood, and I guessed him to be cousin Bruce. I was correct, for he introduced himself as Bruce a moment later, telling me to call him by his first name. I shook his hand, and then the boy introduced himself.

"I'm Aidan. Alfred's godson." I shook his hand, and gave him a smile. Alfred told me to sit down, and put a plate of spaghetti and meatballs in front of me. I devoured it, listening to the grownups converse about business. Aidan caught my eye and winked. I rolled my eyes back at him.

"Damn! I'm late. It was nice to meet you Valery." Bruce nodded at me, and rushed away.

"Another meeting held up." Alfred shook his head, and followed Bruce at a slower pace. I finished my plate, and took it to the sink, rinsed it, and put it in the dishwasher. Aidan was watching with an amused expression. I glared. Did he expect me to be a prick, and not wash my dish? I shook my head slightly, and cracked my knuckles, a bad habit that I did when I was nervous or exasperated.

"Finally. Let's go. You are about to get a guided tour of a house with no adults present!" Aidan held out his arm, as if we were taking a stroll through the park. I declined it, and walked slightly behind him as he lead me through the house, drawling on about the architecture and such, until he heard a door slam. "They're gone! Tag, you're it!" He tapped me, and ran. I was shocked for a moment, then grinned, and chased after him, easily tagging him, then really putting on a burst of speed, and sprinting away, laughing all the while. He chased me for a long time, always appearing around corners, so that I had to wheel around and run back the way I'd come. He finally did catch me, wrapping his arms around me from behind, making me yelp. "Got you!" He seemed quite proud of himself. Then he was gone again, running away, this time really trying not to get caught.

So sorry I haven't updated in FOREVER!


	4. Chapter 4

"Ok, this isn't funny anymore. Where are you?" I was angry when my voice trembled a bit. I'd been looking for Aidan for almost an hour, and I was miserably lost. He was probably sitting on a couch watching TV by now. "Aidan?" I kept walking, panting slightly. Let's see….that was the door that led to the gym…there's my room up those stairs…dining room…I froze. Beautiful piano music was pouring from a closed door. The study! I twisted the door handle, and crept inside, not daring to close the door. Aidan was sitting at the piano bench, and he hadn't heard me, apparently. I waited politely for him to finish the very nice song, then made my presence known. "You scared me!" I blew out an angry puff of breath. He looked at me, genuinely surprised.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think about it." He tilted his head. "Why were you scared?"

"I thought you'd left or gotten murdered or something! I couldn't find you." He grinned.

"Were you worried about me?"

"No I was worried the murderer was still in the house, and that he'd go for the pretty girl next!" His grin grew wider. I glared, and he actually laughed. "What's so funny?!" I demanded.

"It's adorable that you actually care what happens to me. Quite endearing, even though I know what to do if someone breaks in." He was still chuckling. "I promise that if I get murdered, I'll let you know before hand so that you don't have to worry." I rolled my eyes, but he was too charming to stay mad at. Guys like that irritated me. "Are you still mad at me?"

"No. Unfortunately, you are too nice to stay mad at." He had a smug look on his quite attractive face.

"Do you like energy drinks?" I nodded. 'Come along. I have a room here. Bruce usually stays out late, so we have the house to ourselves. Let's stay up." I followed him to a guest room, and nodded in appreciation when he handed me a red Amp from a mini fridge in the closet. Popping it open, I took a swig, and then asked,

"So now what?" Aidan flashed that trademark grin.

"There are secret passages to find. Let's go." I raised my eyebrow. Of course this place had hidden corridors. What's a mansion without a few secrets?

"Okay. Bring it on." I chugged my Amp, popped off the tab, and chucked the empty can in the waste basket. Aidan pressed a knot in the wooden wall, and slid the panel way, revealing a hole just large enough for us to slip through. He took my hand, and we stepped into the dark corridor. I was glad for the darkness, as it hid my blush.

AN: Smoothhh


	5. Chapter 5

"Damn. You can get anywhere through here." Aidan shook his head.

"Not quite. Your room has no passageways in it. There's one in the hall outside, but not actually in your room. Bruce thought you'd like the privacy. By the way, do you want the tab off my can?" I nodded startled. "I saw you take yours. Do you collect them?"

"I'm trying to make them into a bracelet." I didn't know why I was embarrassed by this. He grinned again. What a nice grin. I liked that grin. A lot. More than a lot, actually. As if he read my mind, Aidan's grin grew even larger.

"So yes, almost everywhere. Very useful for playing hide-and-seek…or tag." My eyes widened.

"So that's how you got away! Cheater!" Again, the grin. It was very distracting. Guys like Aidan had always made me nervous. I never knew how to act around them, and could never guess if they were joking with me, or flirting or what. They had a swagger in their step, and an arrogant self-assurance that made me want to smack the smug look off their faces. But Aidan….Aidan seemed different somehow. Not as full of himself. Less confident. Maybe that was just wishful thinking.

"Hey. Valery? You in there?" I blinked, coming back to the present.

"Yeah, sorry." He grinned again, and pushed open a door.

"Shall we continue walking down the dark tunnel, or shall we emerge into the real world?" He held out his arms, releasing my hand, I was disappointed to notice.

"Let's stay in the dark. I like it." He shrugged, and closed the door. We continued walking, and soon the tunnel sloped down. The walls began to turn to stone, rough and slightly damp. "What's up with this tunnel?"

'We're starting to go under the house." Aidan explained, turning at a crossroads. I ran my fingers along the walls, and shrieked when I hit something soft that moved. I shrieked again when the bat, for that's what it was, flew past me. Aidan snorted with suppressed laughter, and wrapped an arm around my waist, maybe trying to comfort me but it just made me jumpier. He certainly wasn't shy about physical interaction! "We need to get back into the .house now, because we're coming on a dead end." Aidan stepped to the wall, and pressed a rock, pushing open the concealed door, letting us into the kitchen.

"Do you want to watch a movie? I think I have the entire LOTR trilogy in my room." Aidan asked, digging in the cupboard for some microwave popcorn.

"Sure. Hey, do you live here?" I tried not to get my hopes up.

"Sometimes. I have a room, but on the weekdays I stay with my mom. Weekends I spend here." He stuck the popcorn in the microwave, and smiled at me. Not the grin, just a smile, a normal person smile. It was a nice, human smile. The popcorn finished, and we journeyed upstairs, to his room which was much like mine. We settled on his couch, popped in The Fellowship of the Ring. His arm draped across my shoulder, me sort of cuddled into his side. Maybe these two months wouldn't be so bad after all…


End file.
